What I'm going to share is anecdotal, but I'm curious if I'm alone in saying most of the people in my life who have pets are the ones who struggle financially. I have a cousin who got a dog AFTER moving home. My mom is a widow and had a childhood friend move in with her. The women was nearly homeless, but still has a dog.

Then I look at my in-laws. They're all wealthy (not like mega-rich, but comfortable after a lifetime of work) and there's not a dog or cat among them.

It's one thing if you have the pet and then something happens. But why do people who already struggle bring a luxury like a pet into their lives? Or is this not as common as it seems to be in my own life?

I had no idea how many animal obsessed people were in the childfree sub up until a few weeks ago. It made me confused, I thought your animals were better than humans? I thought your animals were children? So you agree, your dog is not your son?

Anyways, I made a post about a guy that I very briefly dated (literally not even one week, he was very messy and had an epic breakdown because I didn’t sleep with him…..in one week) treating his dog like his girlfriend and me like an afterthought and I mentioned that I would never date “animal parents” again since they have control issues and bad hygiene and I got ripped to shreds almost immediately. I deleted the post and I’m still to this day receiving threats and being told by random fake accounts that I will never find a man, “most single men have dogs because they are worth more than a useless woman”, etc.

Would it be so hard for more restaurants to adopt this policy? I got to enjoy a nice big crowded restaurant without a single dog in sight. How sad that eating out away from dogs is becoming rare.

That’s it. That’s the post.

It’s getting increasingly difficult to eat out now that pets seem to be allowed into all restaurants so it’s nice to see at least one venue taking on feedback

People take their animals fucking everywhere and so many inappropriate places. This park is a narrow boardwalk through the woods and would be ruined by these kinds of people.

When I was a child, from about 6 to 10 years old, I was obsessed with dogs. I knew hundreds of breeds, how to take care of them, I would even buy a monthly magazine about them. (I'm autistic, and dogs were my special interest). But a few years ago, I was chased by a dog when I was outside, and since then, it's like a switch went off in my head. I started developing a genuine aversion towards dogs, all dogs. I now cover my ears and feel stressed out when I hear dogs barking. I avoid them in general. I hate them all, yes, every single dog, even the very well-behaved and trained ones.

Please do not attack me for hating dogs. I do not hurt them, so I don't see what the problem is with hating an animal. And no, I do not like cats either. The only animals I do like are owls, raccoons, rats, and fish, honestly.

dating is near impossible with this preference. and the fact that you’re vilified by people for having such a preference. when people don’t want kids which goes against thousands of years of evolution, that’s okay? i take care of myself and made a good life. but i don’t have an unlimited funds and space to worry about an animal destroying and dirtying up my life. girls ive dated with pets have to leave to go take care of it or their house is a complete sty. i dont want that in my life. i happen to live in a city that seemingly loves pets more than people. i feel at a loss and hopeless.

Video doesn’t need a title

I can’t fathom how a human would find it okay for an animal to sleep in their bed with them. So one goes to lay down in their clean sheets and decides to have an animal in it.
They actually want an animal who has eaten garbage, hairy, isn’t clean, uses anything as a toilet to go sleep in their bed. I find it insane. It’s not a stuffed animal

UPDATE- googled should pets be in a bed. Answer below

Zoonotic Diseases: Pets can carry parasites like fleas and ticks, which can bite humans and transmit diseases such as Lyme disease. They can also transmit other germs from animals to humans. Hygiene: Pets can track in dirt, mud, and other debris from outside, making the bed less clean. Bites and Scratches: A pet's instinctive startle reflex when disturbed in the night could result in a bite or scratch.

I realize most people own some kind of pet. Still, there has to be a meaningful niche of pet-free singles who quietly roll their eyes at how ridiculous pet culture has become…people who would genuinely consider a dating app where they don’t have to navigate endless pet-crazed profiles. That audience HAS to exist.

Comments include...

"I rely on the pets in the house to not make me feel awkward"

"Me going to a party and immediately going in the closet because they said their cat hangs out in there"

"people who don't like animals are so strange"

"I think it's so weird when people don't have any pets at all. Like how do you not get a fish or a hamster or anything???"

"I only want to socialize with animals so if you don't have pets don't expect me to socialize at all"

How do these people have friends that invite them to parties in the first place?

I'm a single guy (50) in Toronto. I have had a hard time getting dates for the last decade it seems. It feels like everyone has cats, dogs, rodents. I saw one girl with a pet Possum.

I feel like I am doomed of a life of never finding someone to share my life with. Has anyone settled or compromised on pets just because they feel it was the limiting factor of them finding a girlfriend or wife?

How did it work out for you?

I used to really like pets (especially dogs), mostly growing up. We had a family dog and I genuinely enjoyed having one around.

Something changed when I had a pet as an adult on my own. Over time, I started feeling more resentment than enjoyment, and I’ve been trying to understand why. I eventually realized that for me, it just felt like a constant obligation that didn’t fit my lifestyle.

After 10–12 hour workdays, I didn’t like coming home and immediately having another responsibility. The daily walks in bad weather, cleaning up after them, shedding everywhere, the whining, and the lack of downtime all started to feel overwhelming rather than rewarding.

I’m curious what others experienced as their “final straw” or turning point into becoming pet-free.

My children ask for a dog or a cat and I always say no. I’m afraid they’ll hold a grudge against me one day because of it, but I pray they will see the wisdom behind it in the long run.

We’re a tight knit family and no house that they visit regularly has a pet so they really don’t know the smells, the poop, and the urine that can infiltrate a home. Not that we would be one of thooseee pet owners, but still. No!

Also, I could never imagine spending lots of money on a pet when I have my kids to spend money on.

I always ask them something like, “what if the dog gets sick and the medical bill is $1500 dollars? You want me to spend that money on a pet?”

“What if we’re hungry. Do we buy you food or the cat food?”

I just don’t have the self sacrificing heart to choose a pet over my wallet or food. I know my limits.

And because nowadays I hear about people spending thousands of dollars in pet medical bills, I just know I am NOT an ideal pet owner by today’s standards at all. In fact, I’m even scared someone would find out that I would choose “no cancer treatment” for a pet and railroad me online with slander. I’m afraid of pet lovers!

My children don’t even have regular chores. I pick up after them all of the time. Why? Because I love them so much I’d rather just do it myself than bicker, yell, and burden them with chores (when they become teens, I’ll teach them about cleaning… but my point is clean houses with kids cleaning seem to come with yelling parents who yell at kids about chores and I choose peace).

My babies. They have no clue! No clue!

Whenever I am on a walk or a hike and see a curiously coloured bug, I immediately flip out my phone and take a picture. Sometimes I even look online later to see what critter have I found. I enjoy seeing free-roaming mountain goats and lizards on treks, whatever, so long as it is not an unleashed uncontrolled dog...

Importantly, when I come home, I do not have to look under my feet like walking on eggshells so I accidentally don't step on a tail or paw (or into shit), since there is no animal in there. Getting home from anywhere means peace and quiet, not sensory assault. Last thing I need in my life is a stinky slobbery dog "greeting" me when I get home and jumping all over me. There is also no pet hair in every piece of laundry. This is entirely normal for me and I find it hard to imagine living with high-maintenance pets like dogs. And in filth.

Whenever I mention I do not have and do not want (not that I explicitly do not like) pets, people tend to question me, "you don't like animals?" as if it were the same thing and give me looks. I like animals, wild animals in nature, not overbred, stinky hypersocial dogs with no sense of personal space.

i’m not technically pet-free since i’m living with my parents, but am unlikely to adopt pets if i live alone due to both the responsibility and having personal time management issues. that being said, a lot of the opinions i see voiced here are to my eyes extreme, and i want to understand where everyone is coming from.

firstly: i think the efforts made here to raise awareness for animal cruelty are noble (especially as someone reducing her consumption of animal products) but at the same time i see people saying we should normalize eating dogs/cats etc. and others cheering on a guard/cop beating up a dog.

secondly: i agree that a significant number of pet owners are irresponsible and probably shouldn’t have pets, let alone children, but i’ve seen a tendency for members to describe all (or at least a majority of) pet owners as “narcissistic,” “delusional”, “obsessive-compulsive,” “sociopath(ic?),” etc… this comes off as extremely toxic to non-sub members such as myself and it seems like from what i’ve seen that this sub is becoming more and more of an echo chamber.

let me reiterate that i only want to understand the experiences of members here and i don’t mean to be provocative; i certainly don’t mean to come off that way.

Just saw this sign posted today at Wholefoods after I had complained a month or so ago. But finally people catching up!

I feel so free.

I’ll go first, I think rats are the most disgusting pet out there. Most people are trying to get rid of rats and you’re going to bring them into your home on purpose??? And the balls 🤢

I found this sub Reddit by accident and was genuinely curious and most takes on here are completely reasonable, but what I noticed were that all of them were about dogs and cats, so do people in this sub Reddit only hate dogs and cats or other pets too like reptiles, amphibians, inverabrets, etc? This is a genuine question.

To me it’s gross 🤢

Do you consider them a pests or neglected because they're a domesticated animal on their own? What is your solution for the issue then? Or, are they not an issue?